Honey bees are known to be the strongest link in the chain between food producers and consumers. They contribute nearly $20 billion to the crop industry by providing pollination services all over the United States, and Florida's honey industry is ranked among the top five in the nation. There are nearly 5,000 registered beekeepers in the state of Florida, managing approximately 630,000 colonies. Unfortunately, high colony loss rates of honey bees have been reported throughout the world. Stressors, such as Varroa destructor, queen quality, and nutrition are just some of the reported factors associated with this decline. Researchers have been working to identify best management practices to mitigate these losses. All recommendations in these publications are based on scientific literature about honey bees in Florida and around the world.&nbsp;

Las abejas mel&iacute;feras son conocidas por ser el eslab&oacute;n m&aacute;s fuerte de la cadena entre los productores de alimentos y los consumidores. Ellas contribuyen con casi $20 mil millones a la industria del cultivo proveyendo servicios de polinizaci&oacute;n en todos los Estados Unidos y particularmente la industria de la miel en Florida est&aacute; entre las cinco mejores de toda la naci&oacute;n. Hay cerca de 5 mil apicultores registrados en el estado que gerencian aproximadamente 630 000 colonias. Desafortunadamente, se han reportado altas tasas de p&eacute;rdidas de colonias en todo el mundo.&nbsp; Factores estresantes como el par&aacute;sito Varroa destructor, la calidad de las reinas y otros relacionados con la nutrici&oacute;n son algunos de los relacionados con este declive. Muchos investigadores han estado trabajando para identificar las mejores formas de manejo para mitigar estas p&eacute;rdidas. Todas las recomendaciones en estas publicaciones est&aacute;n basadas en literatura cient&iacute;fica sobre las abejas mel&iacute;feras en Florida y el mundo.&nbsp;

Honey Beekeeping in Florida

Apicultura en Florida 

Apiculture

Insect members of the superfamily Apoidea, found almost everywhere, particularly on flowers. About 3500 species occur in North America. They differ from most wasps in that their young are fed honey and pollen rather than animal food.
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Insecto miembro de la superfamilia Apoidea, que se halla en casi todas partes, particularmente en las flores. Cerca de 3500 especies se dan en Am&eacute;rica del Norte. Difieren de la mayor&iacute;a de las avispas en que sus cr&iacute;as se alimentan de miel y polen y no de animales.

Abejas Melíferas Africanizadas

Publicaciones

Swarm Trapping for Pest Control Operators

Choosing the Right Pest Control Operator for Honey Bee Removal: A Consumer Guide

Living with African Bees in Florida's Outdoor Workplaces

Keeping Africanized Honey Bees Out of Wildlife Nest Boxes

Differences Between European and African Honey Bees

Bee-Proofing for Florida Citizens

African Honey Bee Information for School Administrators

African Honey Bee, Africanized Honey Bee, Killer Bee, Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Eradication of Swarms and Colonies for Pest Control Operators

Living with the African Honey Bee